George Sampson, 15, won Britain's Got Talent with his performance of a dance routine to Mint Royale's version of Singin' In The Rain.

His eye-catching routine wowed the judges and according to Hartlepool-based dance teacher Val Armstrong, dozens of youngsters from across the town appear keen to sign up for hip-hop lessons.



Val, who runs the Val Armstrong School of Performing Arts, says as well as being "cool" the idea that the trend could attract female attention could also be a factor in hip-hop's popularity.

She said her 17-year-old son Zak Healey has seen the number of boys going along to his class increasing from 12 to around 40.

Val added: "It seems to be a bit of a craze. The boy's class has been running for quite a while.

"I suppose there was a stigma that boys don't dance. But since George Sampson won Britain's Got Talent the class has gone up to about 40 boys."

Boys aged three to 19 attend the class, which has been run by Hartlepool Sixth Form College student Zak for a year.

Val said hip-hop's popularity has taken off so much that class members were asked to perform at the family funday at Seaton Carew Cricket Club on Sunday, and Zak had recently performed at a show promoting Aston Martin cars in Leeds.

She added: "Even all the girls go crazy for it. We have a girls' class of about 16.

"Boys think it's cool and it attracts female attention.

"I'm really proud of Zak. He built the class up himself, I don't have anything to do with it. He comes into the studio and gets on with it. He still finds time to study for four A-Levels."

Zak's classes take place every Monday night at the Whitby Street South studio at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm, with a girls' class at 8.30pm and Thursdays at 8.30pm.